Improvement in stilts



CHARLES PAGE AND GEORGE MILLER, OF MERID.EN, CONNEC- TICUT.

Lam Patent No. 88,803, dated April 13, 1869.

INIPROVEIVIENT IN STILTB.

To all whomlit lrmi/y concern Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section-of the stilt,

through line B C, of fig. l;

Figure 3 is a side vieur of the step with its wedge; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the band, showing another modification of the piu; and Figure 5 is a plan view of the band.

i Our vinvention' relates te the stilt used for walking, and consists in an improvement in its adj nstability, or in the adjustability of the step to any desired height from the ground.

That others skilled in the art may be able to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction, and the mode of its operation.

In the drawings- A represents the stock, or upright portion of the stilt, having slight indentations, or holes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, made upon one side, and of any desired distance apart. b represents a band, made of any suitable metal, and of a size somewhat larger than the sizeof the stock A, and said -band b is made alittle larger at the top than at the bottom, and upon the inside is a small projection,or pin, made to fit into the holes F1, 2, 35e., in the stock A.

Fig. v3 represents the step d, which is made of any desired form, to accommodate and sustain the foot, and having a small flange, or projection, 0,' to prevent the foot from slipping off the step d; and to the opposite side of the step, projecting downward, is the wedgeshaped piece c, its lower end made of the desired thickness, and made thicker at the top, so as to-iit snugly the space between the inside of the band b and the stock A, when said band is in its position upon said stock A.

The holes made in the side of the stock A are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, for the convenience of the user.

Having thus described its construction, we will now describe its operation.

The band b is placed at any desired height upon the stock A, the pin or projection i inserted in one of the holes, or indentations, as 4, and the wedge-shaped-portion c ofthestep is inserted in the space between the band b and the stock A, and forced in tightly, as shown in iig'. 2. This forces and secures the opposite side of said band b against the side of the stock A, or wedges the band b firmly and tightly to said' stock A, keeping the piu or projection if in the hole 4. If the foot be placed upon the step d, the whole weight of the body may be thrown thereon without any fear of forcing the band downward upon the stock A.

Instead of using the pin i, and making the holes 1, 2, 3, 85e., in the stock A, we may use the small sharp point, or projection t', upon the inside of the band b, or upon its upper part, making no holes in the side of the stock A, as, if the band having such sharp point, or projection i', as shown in g. 4, be placed upon said stock A, and the wedge e of the step be forced in tightly, said point, or projection t will be forced into the Wooden stock A, and the band b will be rmly secured in place, as before.

It might be found, in practice, that if the wedge were made to 'dt sufciently tight, there might be no necessity for any projection, as the band might be wedged or held to the staff A sufficiently iirm without such projection, but we prefer to use the projection, as herein described.

We are aware that an adjustable stilt has heretofore been used, as shown in Letters Patent, No. 31,787, granted to G. N. Cummings, and dated March 26, 1868, but said device differs materially from ours, in both construction and operation, inasmuch as in said device the projection which enters the staff is upon the Asame'side of said sta as the step, and consequently said projection sustains the whole weight of the pers'on; While, in our invention, the pressure, or weight of the person upon the step forces the wedge in tightly, between the band and the staff, so that the weight is distributed and sustained by the wedge, the band,and the small projection i. We do not, therefore, claim said device as described in said Letters Patent granted to said Cummings, or any part of the same; but having described our invention,

What we do claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi--A An adjustable stilt, upon which the step is secured at any desired height upon the staff, by means of a portion of said step having its bearing between said staff and a band, said band having a projection thereon, all constructed and operating substantially as herein described, and in the manner herein set forth.

CHAS. PAGE. GEO. W. MILLER.

Witnesses WALLIS BULL, GEORGE A.' FAY. 

